1. Field
The present invention relates to a standup dependent exercise apparatus that simulates jog-in-place and climbing with arm exercise that simulates rowing and ski pole motion. More particularly, the present invention relates to an exercise machine having separately supported pedals for the feet and arm exercise coordinated with the motion of the feet.
2. State of the Art
The benefits of regular exercise to improve overall health, appearance and longevity are well documented in the literature. For exercise enthusiasts the search continues for safe apparatus that provides total body exercise for maximum benefit in minimum time.
Up and down foot motion has become popular in the stepper category where the heel of the foot generally moves faster than the toe. Webb in U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,696 shows a pedal linkage to guide the pedal and drive a flywheel. Bull in U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,681 and Lee in U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,892 show a pair of pedals each guided by a linkage for parallel pedal motion. Young et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,858 show independent foot support members that are pivoted forward the operator while Bull in U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,031 shows similar dependent foot support members. Robards, Jr. et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,447 offers a dependent stepper with a forward pivoted foot support member to drive an alternator.
Dunn et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,448 use forward pivoted foot support members having paddles extending beyond the pivot for water exercise. Foster in U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,400 shows dependent forward pivot foot support members connected to hand levers for mountain climbing exercise. Chang in U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,570 shows dependent forward pivoted foot support members as part of a linkage having a crank to determine step range. Lo in U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,688 shows a dependent stepper that drives a flywheel. Kuo in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,989,857 and 5,039,087 uses forward pivoted foot support members powered by a motor through a crank.
The treadle category has the foot support members pivoted or guided rearward the operator allowing the foot to move up and down wherein the toe moves faster than the heel. Brown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,898 shows foot support members slidably pivoted rearward the operator with elliptical foot motion. Encke in U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,420 offers foot support members pivoted rearward the operator with treadle motion controlled by lever action. Eschenbach in U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,294 offers rearward pivoted treadle pedal movement where the heel and toe curves have the same vertical slope.
Schirrmacher in U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,318 and Chase, Sr. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,173 show lever power systems to drive a bicycle with rearward pivoted foot levers. Chen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,135 offers rearward pivoted foot support levers that telescope with crank operation. Gordon in U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,029 shows rearward pivoting foot support members that support foot trolleys for back and forth foot motion coordinated by belts to up and down foot support member motion.
Arm exercise with elliptical hand motion has recently appeared in the art. Yu in U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,296 shows a dependent stepper with elliptical hand motion. Rodgers, Jr. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,589 and Lin et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,760 show elliptical hand motion coordinated with elliptical foot motion.
There remains a need to combine up and down inclined foot motion having low knee stress with elliptical hand motion to exercise muscles in an alternative manner. There also remains a need for an exercise apparatus that provides climbing foot movements not found with stepper exercise apparatus.